Wagon-tongue support



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L. W. CRUOE, OF MARION, KENTUCKY.

WAGON-TONGUE SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,721, dated June 11, 1895.

Application filed January 31, 1895. Serial No. 536,868. (No model.)

To all whom it may corwern:

Be it known that I, ROBBERT B. CLEMENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orayneville, in the county'of Orittenden and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Wagon-Tongue Support, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of wagon tongue supports which are hinged to the under side of the tongue, and capable of swinging so as to lie parallel therewith, or at right-angles thereto. These devices are generally associated with a suitable keeper on the tongue, whereby they are held parallel therewith; also in some cases they are formed of two bars or legs which are capable of swinging apart or spreading, so as to support the tongue with greater stability. It is to this latter kind that my invention is especially related, and the principal object is to provide a device having two arms with a normal tendency to spread, so that when released from the keeper they will automatically spread and attain the object of the device.

To this end the invention consists in two legs having a normal tendency to spread, and hinged to the under side of the tongue. The tongue is provided with a box-like keeper, which receives the free ends of the legs, and which holds them parallel with the tongue while the device is not in use.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view showing a tongue supplied with my improvements and showing the tongue turned bottom upward, to the end that the invention be better illustrated. Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the tongue when in its normal position and looking toward the support, which is shown to be actively engaged. Fig. 3 is a detail section taken through the legs and showing the springs for giving them their normal tendency. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a tongue supplied with a modification of my improvements, the tongue being shown to be reversed, as in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of the hinge.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference numeral 1 indicates the tongue to which my improvements are shown as supplied, and

which may be of any kind. Rigidly secured to the under side of the tongue, and near the front extremity thereof is the plate 2, which forms one member of a hinge, whereby the supporting arms are secured to the tongue.

3 indicates the remaining member of the hinge, and this is hingedly joined to the plate 2, and is a socket and consists of a single casting, and is perforated for bolts 5 and 6. These bolts are three in number. The middle bolt 5 is provided to receive a spring for spreading the legs, as will be described hereinafter.

the socket of the hinge.

The legs 7 are of a length which will make them capable of supporting the tongue 1 in the proper horizontal position. S'indicates the spring for actuating these legs, and this is formed of a single piece of spring wire, having a coil 9 at its middle, the same embracing the bolt 5, while the ends or terminals of the spring project outwardly, and are seated within recesses 10, in the respective arms 7. These termals of the spring 8 have a normal tendency to part, and by these means thearms are given a like tendency.

The free ends of the legs 7 are tapered slightly at their outer sides, their inner or contiguous sides being plain, so that they will lie snugly against each other. These ends are held against the tongue by means of a keeper 11, which consists of an integral plate of metal bent to comprise a forwardly projecting tongue 12, whereby it may be secured to the tongue, and a rearwardly opening box-like portion 13, which receives the free ends of the legs 7. The keeper is rigidly secured to the tongue or pole and forms a longitudinal socket, and is provided inter-mediate of its sides with a slot or opening, communicating with the socket, and permitting the legs to be placed therein. Thus it will be seen that the legs, when it is desired to connect them to the keeper, should be moved to lie snugly against each other, after which theymay be passed through the slot 14. When this has been done, the spring 8 may be allowed to expand or spread the arms, which will cause them to lie in the respective sides of the box 13, so that they will not be liable to accidental displacement.

It will be understood, that the arms are to be held by the keeper 13, when they are not The end bolts 6 pivotally mount the legs 7 in tongue, which will result in a farmore efiectever, there is any advantage, it is thought to lie in the form of Figs. 1,2 and 3, since it may be difficult and expensive to construct the arms 15 after the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be observed, that the device may be attached to wagon tongues without encumbering them, or rendering their use disadbeing used to support the tongue, and when it is desired that they be out of the way as much as possible. When however, it is desired to support the tongue, the arms should be disengaged from the keeper and allowed to drop in the position of Fig. 2, whereupon their free ends will rest upon the'ground and effectually support the tongue. It will be observed that the legs will automatically spread and are arranged at opposite sides of the ual support of the tongue than otherwise arranged.

The modification of Fig. 4 consists of two arms 15, similar in function to the arms 7, and formed of an integral spring bar. The bar composing the arms 15 is twisted together spirally, as shown at 16, at the middle thereof may be formed aloop 17, which is received by the loop 18 of the metallic plate 19. This plate 19 is rigidly secured tothe under side of the tongue at a point commensurate with the point to which the plate 2 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is secured. the arms 15 are pivotally mounted on the tongue, so as to be capable of swinging freely thereon, as has been explained in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and to hold the arms 15, a keeper 20 is provided, which keeper is the equivalent in construction and function of the keeper 11, and which co-operates with the arms 15 as the said keeper 11 co-operates with the legs 7.

Each of the forms of my invention illustrated in the drawings is regarded as having almost the same degree of efficiency. It, how- Thus it will be seen that vantageous, since, when the support is folded, it will lie snugly against the pole, and be practicall y a part thereof.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In a tongue support, the combination of a tongue provided on its lower face with a keeper having a longitudinally disposed socket, and provided intermediate of its sides with a slot. or opening communicating with the same, and a pair of outwardly springing or separating legs, hinged to the pole and adapted to be compressed and to have their lower ends pass through the slot or opening of the keeper, whereby the resiliency of the j legs will hold them in the socket of the keeper f away from the opening or slot thereof, sub- 1 stantially as described.

2. In a tongue support, the combination of a tongue provided on its lower face with a rigid longitudinally disposed keeper provided :intermediate of its sides with an entrance slot or opening, a hinge secured at one leaf to the lower face of the tongue, and having f its other leaf provided with a socket, a pair of separable legs pivoted in the socket of the 1 hinge and having their other ends arranged in the keeper, and a spring interposed between the legs and adapted to spread the same and .hold them in engagement with the keeper, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBBERT B. CLEMENT. Witnesses:

C. S. NUNN, W. J. Canon. 

